Dáil and Seanad at odds over Eighth Amendment committee

Upper House seeking to raise its number of representatives on panel from four to seven

The Citizens’ Assembly recommended that abortion should be permitted in the State in a wide range of circumstances, which would require a significant liberalisation of the current regime in the State. File photographs: The Irish Times

The Seanad is refusing to back down in a row with the Dáil over membership of the new cross-party committee on abortion.

The Upper House wants to boost its numbers on the committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which will be tasked with considering the recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly, from four to seven.

The assembly recommended that abortion should be permitted in the State in a wide range of circumstances, which would require a significant liberalisation of the current regime in the State.

The chairman of the Dáil Committee on Procedure, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, met his Seanad counterpart Denis O’Donovan for 15 minutes on Tuesday night in an attempt to resolve the issue.